Saint Hildegard Feast Day Activities
I love the name Hildegard! When I first discovered that there was a Saint Hildegard, I couldn’t wait to learn more about her—and the more I learned, the more fascinating she became. With her love of music, plants, the natural world, and the beauty of God’s creation, there are so many wonderful ways to bring her story to life with children. Her feast day is September 17, and she quickly earned a place on our list of saints to celebrate each year.
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Here are a few facts about Saint Hildegard:
- Saint Hildegard was a writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, and German Benedictine abbess
- She was the youngest of 10 children!!
- Hildegard was a sickly child and received little education
- At the age of 18, she became a Benedictine nun at the Monastery of St. Disibodenberg
- She was extremely knowledgeable of herbs and medicinal arts
- At a young age, Hildegard experienced visions, and she did not want to make her visions public.
- Three most significant works are Scivias, Liber Vitae Meritorum, and Liber Divinorum Operum.
- There are more chant compositions surviving by St. Hildegard than any other medieval composer. How neat!
- On May 10, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI gave St. Hildegard an equivalent canonization, and laid down the groundwork for naming her a Doctor of the Church. Five months later, she officially became a Doctor of the Church, making her the fourth woman of 35 saints to be given that title by the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI called Hildegard “perennially relevant” and “an authentic teacher of theology and a profound scholar of natural science and music.”
“No creature has meaning
without the Word of God.
God’s Word is in all creation, visible and invisible.
The Word is living, being,
Spirit, all verdant
all creativity.
This Word flashes out in
every creature.
This is how the spirit is in
the flesh — the Word is indivisible from God.”-Saint Hildegard of Bingen
Enjoy this FREE prayer card you can download to put up for Saint Hildegard’s Feast Day!
Activities:
1. Make an indoor herb garden:
Growing herbs is a simple, hands-on activity to include in your Saint Hildegard feast day celebration. Herbs are generally easy for children to grow, and there is something especially satisfying about eventually using what they have tended in your family’s cooking. We’re giving this indoor herb kit a try, with plans to eventually create a dedicated little herb-growing space in our kitchen. Besides being useful, I love the bit of natural greenery an indoor herb garden brings into the home.
2. Make herb playdough!! Bring Saint Hildegard’s love of the natural world into your celebration with homemade herb-inspired playdough. We like using a simple homemade playdough recipe and adding herbs and spices for color, scent, and a little sensory fun. Try combinations like mint, cinnamon, and nutmeg, or whole grains, and let the kids experiment with their own botanical creations. I Heart Naptime is my favorite playdough recipe.
3. Play Saint Hildegard Herb Bingo. Explore herbs and plants while celebrating Saint Hildegard with this botanical bingo game created especially for her feast day. The printable includes eight unique bingo cards, 24 herb calling cards, and printable markers—perfect for playing together as a family or homeschool group. Download the Saint Hildegard Herb Bingo for free from the Catholic Homebody Free Library.
Take joy in this FREE printable quote from Saint Hildegard
Books to Read:
Hildegard of Bingen: Scientist, Composer, Healer, and Saint
Music:
“The fire has its flame and praises God.
The wind blows the flame and praises God.
In the voice we hear the word which praises God.
And the word, when heard, praises God.
So all of creation is a song of praise to God.”-Saint Hildegard
Saint Hildegard is one of those saints whose life seems to touch on a little bit of everything—faith, music, art, the natural world, and a deep appreciation for God’s creation. Her feast day offers so many wonderful ways to bring her story to life with your family. I hope these ideas inspire you to celebrate Saint Hildegard in a way that is both meaningful and memorable. If you found something helpful here, be sure to save this post on Pinterest or share it with another Catholic family!
